4th of July

So Adrianne was here from Wednesday until Sunday. So FUN! We had a terrific visit. She actually arrived late at night on Tuesday, and Jeff, bless his heart, went to the airport at 12:00 at night to get her and then went to work the next day. So this is what we did, for inquiring minds:


Wednesday: Going to the mall was the big outing today. Adrianne got her yearly fix of BCBG clothing...she swears by it. Says that only here, in El Paso (land of the 100 degree weather, home of the $5 an hour minimum wage) can she afford these clothes because they go on sale for, like, 70% off. This is because no one in El Paso can afford a $300 shirt. Anyway, it all works together for Adrianne. Of course, anyone that knows the Rudows knows that the shopping expedition had to go something like this:


(Adrianne in the dressing room:)


Are you sure you're alright? Is Dillon alright?


Me: Yes, take your time.


Adrianne:


Me:


Adrianne: Thank you so much for waiting for me like this. Is Dillon really alright?


Me: Yes, we're good. Don't worry.


Adrianne: Ok. I'm hurrying just as fast as I can.


Me: It's ok!


Adrianne: .The kids are so good! Are you sure you're alright? ......Ad infinitum.


Adrianne, I'm picking on you because I love you. YOU KNOW we all do this. Some more than others. (Ahem, Mother?)


Anyway...that day was good. We took the kids to the mall rides, and Adrianne treated Noah to a ride on the mini-train, which he loves. Yay for Aunty Adie!





Thursday: Went to a water park! The only water park around here, which looks as though it was built in the 1960s, soley by Mexican design, and never touched since. However, we had a very good time. Hope to go back there again, maybe with more people, to be able to really enjoy the 'adult' portion of the park. Also, since I'm losing weight, maybe next time I go back I won't almost die. You know those water rides where you ride a big inner tube down an open-air chute and get going faster and faster till it spits you out in a pool? Well, friends, I was sure on some of those bends that I was a goner. You've heard the saying, "The bigger they come, the harder they fall"? This is true in a different way of slides. The bigger they come, the faster they slide. On my 2nd time down I asked the petite Mexican girl who was dragging my ass over to the chute, "So, does anyone ever go over the edge...ha ha ha" (not). She giggles, sort of embarrased, and says, "Is not possible". Hmm. Wanna bet? I also almost ran over this 20 lb eight year old girl in front of me, I caught up to her so quickly. That was some bad decision making on the part of the employee of the park, lemme tell you, putting me in back of her. She went down like a good couple minutes before me & then almost to the finish line I could see her and her tube and I went "oh man, this will not end well". It ended up ok, tho. Thank God. ANNNYYYWAY.





Friday: 4th of July! We went out for a group Starbucks, which was a treat for all of us. Noah is a young disciple of the way, begging for sips of our coffee and calling it "Starbys" like an old hand. He always gets chocolate milk and those Madeline cookies.


Then we went back and forth & finally decided, later on that day, to go to Western Playland, an amusement park. They have one of the only fireworks shows around and we usually go & sit in their parking lot & watch the fireworks. However, the percussion waves from the fireworks make car alarms go off, so it's very annoying to sit in the parking lot listening to those things go crazy while you try to enjoy yourself. That's why we opted to go in the park itself. It's very reasonably priced and we all had a great time! Noah did the rides like a trooper...loved em all. Dillon was a VERY good boy and, even though he was very tired, stayed awake quietly watching the whole time. We took turns riding & staying with him. The fireworks were spectacular. I don't consider myself particularly patriotic, but for some reason the 4th is my favorite American holiday after C'mas.





Saturday: We went to breakfast at IHOP & afterward wandered the Mall a little more. The trip ended abruptly with a frantic Aunty Adie trying to find her ATM card. Seems she accidentally left it at the concession stand in Western Playland. We call W.P & sure enough, they have it. Crisis averted. We go pick it up. Horray for El Paso, lowest crime rate around. Watched some movies later on in the PM. Packing and good byes later.





All this to say: We miss you Aunty Adie! We love you! Thanks for coming & for such a good time! Our place seems to light up when you're here.
P.S: Please see next post for pics. I can't seem to get this d--m thing to put the pics where I want them.